Torn Apart
by superficialcynic
Summary: The team loses one of their own. How will they deal? Major character death - you've been warned. TIVA.


**Major angst in this story. Hope you like even though it is sad. Read and Review please.**

Ziva and Tony had been going out for one year now, and of course Gibbs knew although he didn't approve at first. He soon realised that the two were able to keep their personal lives away from their professional lives, although there was the odd kiss here or there.

Ziva was going over to Tony's place to celebrate their anniversary. They had not planned anything tonight, and Ziva wanted to surprise Tony. Ziva was approaching the door to his apartment, when she heard a single gunshot from inside her apartment. Ziva reverting back to her Mossad training, instantly reached for her gun, and kicked down Tony's door. There she found Tony, on the floor lying in a pool of blood, with a single bullet between his eyes. Ziva saw the window open, and that someone had just climbed out. She ran after them, but was too late – she saw someone jump into a car, and speed off down the street.

Ziva collapsed onto the floor, holding Tony's lifeless body, crying. She tried to hold back her tears and be strong, but she had just lost the only man she had ever truly loved for the rest of her life. Ziva kept holding onto Tony's body, for the rest of the night, and even into the next morning. She didn't care about not showing up to work, knowing that Gibbs would understand and forgive her eventually.

Gibbs walked down from the director's office into the bullpen to discover that only McGee was there. Tony and Ziva still hadn't shown up for work, and it was 1000. "Find them McGee. I don't care who you have to shoot, threaten or hack. Just do it!" Gibbs shouted, from his desk.

McGee tried calling Ziva first, but it went straight to voicemail. He then dialled Tony, and his phone also went to voicemail. McGee then did the next logical thing and ran the GPS in both their phones – relieved, to find them both at Tony's apartment. "Boss, Ziva's with Tony at his place. They probably.."

McGee was cut off by Gibbs, "I don't want to know McGee. Get your ass over there and see why they aren't here. Then drag their asses back here."

"On it boss," said McGee as he grabbed his gun and badge and headed to the elevator. McGee made his way to Tony's place in record time, fearing he would have to face the wrath of Gibbs if he didn't come back with Tony and Ziva soon. McGee made his way up to Tony's apartment and found the door slightly ajar. He grabbed his gun, and pushed the door open, to see Ziva crying over a body – although he couldn't tell who. "Ziva, where's Tony?" McGee asked, oblivious to whose body was lying on the floor.

McGee made his way towards Ziva when she didn't respond, and discovered the identity of the body. "Ziva, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" McGee asked in a gentle tone, while he placed a hand on Ziva's shoulder.

Ziva realised that someone was there and grabbed the hand on her shoulder, placing it into a death grip. "Ziva, its me," McGee said, and she immediately let go.

ZIva turned around, her eyes, red from crying all night. "I'm sorry Tim."

"It's okay, I will call Gibbs." McGee said as he walked out of the apartment.

Gibbs was at his desk when his phone rang "Gibbs!" he barked into the receiver, as he was growing more frustrated that none of his agents were here. "McGee why are you wasting your time calling me when you should be dragging their asses back here?"

"Boss, it's Tony. He's ...." McGee was at a lost of words. Saying that Tony was dead would make it real and he wasn't ready for that yet. "Bring Ducky," was all McGee said before hanging up on Gibbs. He knew that if it were under normal circumstances Gibbs would kill him for being so cryptic, but he was sure that Gibbs would forgive him. Ziva was now up against the wall, with her head buried in hands, still sobbing. McGee was on the verge of breaking down but he knew he had to try and be strong for Ziva, he knew Tony would have wanted him to.

_Flashback...._

_It was late at night, and Gibbs and Ziva had gone home, just leaving Tony and Tim in the bullpen. Tony was throwing scrunched up paper at McGee and he suddenly stopped. He got up and made his way over to Tim and stood over the younger agent. Tim looked up and was confused and annoyed at the same time "What do you want DiNozzo?" asked the younger agent. _

"_Tim, I want you to listen to me. If anything happens to me, I want you to look after Ziva," Tony said, this in a serious tone, and McGee realised he wasn't joking. _

"_Is something going on DiNozzo?" Tim asked, confused at Tony's out of the blue statement. _

"_Nothing's going on, just promise me you will take care of ZIva for me if something does happen to me," Tony said, looking at McGee. _

"_I promise Tony." McGee just left it at that, still confused. _

Gibbs had arrived, and saw Ziva crying, and McGee trying to comfort her, before he realised Tony's limp body on the floor. McGee left the room to get the equipment to begin processing the scene, when Ducky arrived, and took in the scene in front of him. "I'm so sorry Jethro. Ziva, how are you holding up?" Ducky asked, in a soothing tone.

"Ducky, can you just wrap DiNozzo, up and take him back home," Gibbs said, and the doctor did so, not wanting to let anybody else from the team see the body. Gibbs walked over to Ziva and sat down next to her "Ziva, do you know who did this?"

Ziva looked up at Gibbs and just simply answered "No."

"We will find who ever did this Ziva, and they will pay," do you hear me, Gibbs said as he helped Ziva up. "Come on, go home, McGee and I can handle this."

Ziva did as she was told, not wanting to argue with Gibbs, and also she wanted to be alone right now. Ziva went home as McGee and Gibbs began processing the scene. They had come up with a single strand of hair and hopefully it was enough to find who they were looking for. Gibbs and McGee headed back to NCIS and the whole trip was silent.

Abby still didn't know what was going on, and she heard the elevator open seeing Gibbs with a grim face. Abby immediately recognised his look – the same one when they had lost Kate and became concerned and asked Gibbs with a nervous stutter "Gibbs, what happened?"

"Abby, Tony was killed last night," Gibbs said, as she collapsed into his arms and received a hug from Gibbs.

"How could this happen? Oh my God!" Abby began, as she let go of Gibbs. "Tell me you got evidence. I'm going to nail this bitch or bastard and kill him leaving no evidence of their existence." Abby yelled.

"Abs, all we got was a single hair," Gibbs said, almost apologetically. He knew that with only one hair, they couldn't convict but for Gibbs it was enough.

"That's all I need Gibbs. I will track down this bastard, even if it's the last thing I do. Tony deserves this, and Ziva needs closure!" Abby took the only piece of evidence from Gibbs as he left. She began running all the tests she could think of. She had even managed to get a drug history and a DNA sample. No one dared leave until they caught Tony's killer.

Abby ran out into the bullpen screaming "Gibbs, Gibbs! I've found him."

"Abby, who was it?" Gibbs asked, relieved that he could finally put this to rest.

"It's Alex Cavanaugh! He's some junky DiNozzo busted when he was with Baltimore PD."Abby let out in one breath.

"McGee!" Gibbs shouted.

"On it boss," McGee said as he began tapping furiously on his keyboard. After several minutes McGee came up with nothing. "Boss, he's gone completely off the grid. He hasn't called anyone or accessed his bank accounts or credit cards from anywhere."

"Alright, if this bastard's out for revenge he certainly got it and I'm going to get mine. Go home, Tony's funeral is tomorrow. Pick up Ziva on the way." Gibbs said and McGee did as he was told.

The morning had come, and the team had gathered at Ziva's house figuring she would need all the support she could get, although she compartmentalised well. They had made their way together to the cemetery where Tony would be buried. Eulogies were being delivered when Gibbs saw Cavanaugh approach their congregation. Gibbs drew his weapon, as Cavanaugh did. Ziva was standing next to Gibbs with her weapon drawn, and McGee had escorted Abby and Ducky away.

Ziva without thinking, had pulled the trigger, and shot Cavanaugh in the head, making sure he would die. Ziva let a single tear escape her eye, realising that she had avenged not only her partner's death but her lover's death as well.

Later that night, Ziva had chose to stay with Gibbs, unsure about being alone. Gibbs found Ziva in his basement, acquainting herself with his bourbon. "Ziva, I think you should have this?" Gibbs, said handing Ziva, an envelope with her name on it in Tony's unmistakable handwriting before leaving her alone again.

Ziva opened, the envelope revealing a letter from Tony.

"_Dear Ziva, _

_You are the first woman that I truly fell in love with. Ever since, we had that undercover operation, I knew that I had to make you mine. If you are reading this, I'm sorry for the pain I have caused you – I knew this day would come and that my past would eventually catch up with me. You have to know that I would have done anything and everything within my power to stay by your side. Don't grieve over me too long, move on and find someone else who can take care of you. Remember that the team is here for you even though I'm not. I will always love you._

_Yours always, _

_Tony" _

Ziva, fought hard to control her tears, but she succumbed to pain. She let her tears flow down her cheeks not caring that it was a sign of weakness, letting her emotions get in the way. She had her gun in one hand, and she slowly raised the barrel to the side of her head. She whispered to herself "I'm coming Tony," and a single shot rung out through Gibbs's basement.

Gibbs came running down, to find he was too late. He saw Ziva's lifeless body, slumped over his work bench and let a lone tear escape from his eye.

**So I know this is a rather sad story, but I have wanted to do a major angst one for a while now. Please review.... **

**Join my campaign in getting my friend Alexis to write. She was featured in Just Another Case Undercover as TIVA's child and she actually wrote part of Chapter 21 and one of the love scenes. **

**Here's the link to her page ****.net/u/1703589/McAbby_K3****. She promised me that she will write if she gets 20 PMs so please help in getting her to write. **


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